Compass-light.



COMPASS LIG HT, (Application lehzeb.- 20, 1902.)

(No Model.)

llNrrnr @trarne Pernaut rrrcn,

OSCAR E. EATON, OF BOSTON, AND FRANK O. BURRILL, OF HULL, MASSA-CHUSETTS.

COMPASS-LIGt-IT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,050, dated July 22,1902.

Application tiled February 20,1902. Serial No. 94,908.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, OSCAR E. EATON, residing in Boston, in the countyof Suffolk, and FRANK O. BURRILL, residing in Hull, in the county ofPlymouth, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Compassights, of which thefollowing is a specification.

io Compasses as ordinarily constructed have when in use their entirefaces or surfaces open to view, so that all points of the conipass arein sight. iVhen such Compasses are used at night, a light is thrown uponthem andthe entire compass is exposed to thelight,

so that there is a considerable glare. The effeet is that as a helmsmanlooks off from the compass into the darkness he is at the moment oflooking apt to be what is termed zo compass-blind, for the reason thatit takes a little time for the eyesto become accustomed to the changeproduced by looking from a surface as largel asa compass, reflecting theglare of a bright light, into the darkness of the night and to distantpoints.

In our invention we provide a compasslight which will illuminate onlythat portion.

of the compass which it is necessary for the steersman to see. The onlyportion which 3o need be in sight is that point next the lubbers pointor the line indicating the course in which the vessel is steering and afew points each side thereof in order to make allowance for thevariations of the ship on her 3,5 course. Thus as a small portion onlyof the compass is illuminated there is little or no glare andpractically Vthe compass-blindness referred to is done away with.Moreover, by means of our device no binnacleis needed 4o and the compassis always open to View. Provision is made also whereby the entire faceof the compass may be illuminated, if desired, for the purpose ofgetting a crossbearing or for lightingtemporarilythe wheelhouse.

The nature of the invention is fully described below and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, which shows a vertical section taken throughour improved compass- 5o light and through the frame of a compass inproper relative position thereto, the compass (No model() and thesupport thereo'l` and the lantern being shown in elevation.

A represents a compass supported hiya suitable franie B B,"extending upfrom a base O. l) is a standard adjustably supported in suitable ears orsockets E, extending from the base O, said standard being preferablytubular in order to contain an electric wire b, leading to an electriclight cwithin thelamp. 6o Of course vany style of lamp or light may besubstituted for the electric light.

The lantern comprises a case, preferably metallic and consisting of therear wall F, side walls F,"bottom F,transparent front window f, andchimney G, opening into a cap l-l, suitably perforated at l-l, suchchimney and cap being for use in case an oil--lamp is employed. The sidewalls F are provided with parallel eXtensionsLtriangular in shape, 7o asshown, and connected at their bottoms by the horizontal plate l', whichis provided with an aperture K. From this aperture extends downward atube L, which is preferably elliptical in shape and corresponds in shapeand size with the aperture and has its lower end cut on a bevel, so thattherear portion of its wall is somewhat longer than the front portion.We do not, however, regard it as absolutely necessary to the inventionthat the wall 8o of this tube should be beveled or that the tube shouldVbe elliptical in shape, but we prefer this construction. Hinged at 7L tothe top of the main body of the lantern is a cover, which consists ofthe flat metallic plate P, connected by rearwardly-extending triangularside plates P', (the shape of which is indicated by dotted lines,) andwhich is formed with an inwardly-turned lip P at its lower end. The sideplates P and the lip P" are 9o for the purpose ot' preventing any lightfrom escaping fromrthe lantern at those points, and the side plates arefurthermore for the purpose of guiding the cover as it swings up anddown. The inner surface ofthe portion P of the cover is provided with areiiector S.

The normal condition of the lantern is illustrated in full lines-thatis, with the cover closed. Its position with relation to the compass issuch that the tube L is directly over Ioo a portion of the compass nextits edge. This is the portion which it is necessary that the helmsmanshould see, as it is the portion next and on opposite sides of thelubbers point or the line indicating the steering course of the vessel.While this illuminated space is large enough to allow for the fallingoff or swerving of the vessel from the point toward which she issteering, it is comparatively a small portion of the compass. Theremainder of the compass is not lighted up, and hence there is noreection or glare from any part except the small portion illuminated. Indaylight the Whole compass is in sight, and no binnacle is required. Insteering in the night there is not sufficient glare from the illuminatedportion of the compass to render the helmsman compass-blind when helooks off therefrom into the darkness. Should it be desired to get across-bearing, the cover P P is swung up, as indicated in dotted lines,and the entire face of the compass is illuminated. This can also be doneif it is desired to light up the room or to take notes or for anypurpose to examine the entire face of the compass.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a compass-light, in combination with a compass; a lanterncomprising a case and a cover swinging therefrom and adapted to close oropen an opening sufficiently large to allow the light to illuminate theentire compass, said lantern being provided with a smaller apertureadapted to allow a small portion only of the compass to be illuminated,the lantern being so set with relation to the compass as to allow thelight to be constantly shed thereon through the small aperture,substantially as set forth.

2. In a compass-light, in combination with a compass; a lanterncomprising a case and a cover swinging therefrom and adapted to open orclose an aperture large enough to allow the light to illuminate theentire compass, said lantern being provided with a smaller apertureadapted to allow only a limited portion of the compass to beilluminated; and a tube extending downfrom said aperture whereby thelight is guided and confined to a limited portion of the surface of thecompass, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR E. EATON. FRANK C. BURRILL.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. N. BONNEY.

